Boston adds two start waves
The Boston Marathon announced it will expand from four to six starting waves in 2026 to improve runner flow and safety — a structural change aimed at dealing with growing field sizes and logistics Runner's World. Organizers say the new wave plan is specifically designed to reduce congestion and streamline on‑course support for faster and back‑of‑pack runners alike Runner's World.
The Boston Athletic Association published bib numbers, corral assignments and start times for the 130th Boston Marathon on March 16, 2026, and directed athletes to view their assignments in their B.A.A. Athletes’ Village accounts. (baa.org) The overall field remains capped at 30,000 participants, but organizers will split that field into six waves that range from about 3,200 to 7,100 athletes each. (baa.org) Organizers said the six‑wave plan replaces recent four‑wave formats that previously grouped roughly 7,500 runners per wave, and the per‑wave numbers were calculated using estimated pace and projected finish times. (baa.org) Depending on corral assignment, athletes will take one of two routes into the Hopkinton start area—Corrals 1–4 via Maple Street and Church Street, or Corrals 5–8 via Grove Street onto Main Street—changes detailed in the B.A.A. release. (baa.org) The B.A.A. confirmed all runners are expected to be across the starting line before 11:30 a.m. on Patriots’ Day, April 20, 2026, and that the finish line in Boston will close at 5:30 p.m., matching the same course completion window used in 2025. (baa.org) The announcement notes the B.A.A. worked with crowd scientists and operations staff, and highlights that more than 130 countries and all 50 U.S. states will be represented in the 2026 field. (baa.org)
